zurich
 

we will be in zurich for only one day be fore we head to florence. any must sees or would time be better spent just walking around to get the flavor of the city?

Zürich is a quite beautiful city. The old town - with many charming buildings - stretches on both banks of the river Limmat, with a larger extension on the eastern bank. Just walk and discover buildings, churches, little shops, streetlife, bars and restaurants. Do not forget to visit the churches Großmünster (with stained glass windows by Giacometti) and Fraumünster (with stained glass windows by Chagall).

If you want to visit museums, the Landesmuseum (historic museum) would be my first choice. The art museum (Kunsthaus Zürich) is one of the world's best museums of 19th and 20th century art.

When you start at the Hauptbahnhof (the main station), the walk will eventually lead you to lake Zürichsee. On a nice day, a boat trip might be advisable. On your way back, you may take the Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping artery, with its magnicent turn-of-century buildings. Confiserie Sprüngli is a must for chocolates.

On a warm summer day, you might go swimming in one the "Kastenbäder" (historic swimming-pools in the lake or the river). In the evening, the "Frauenbad" turns into a night-club with the illumanited swimming-pool which is full of fish.

thank you so much. you have given me many great suggestions for planning a wonderful day.

In the Hauptbahnhof is a tourism office. I strongly recommend you stop there and buy tickets for a walking tour. The ticket I bought included the boat tour (taken at any time you wish). The person at the counter can advise you what is best for your day. The walking tours leave right from the main station.

They are really really good tours. And, there will be plenty of time for you to later wander some of the neighborhoods on your own. But with the tour, I guarantee that you will see things on buildings and underneath floors, and if you are lucky, inside the police station, that you probably would not see on your own.

Gosh Judith, our itinerary is similar.

thank you, toucan. i will definitely check the tourism office. that walking tour sounds very interesting. like most places on our trip itinerary, i wish i could allocate more time to each.thanks again.

cafegoddess, in may, we are going from zurich to florence for 5 days then on to la spezia, grindelwald, and ending in basel. am now looking for a hotel in florence. i would like to be near the arno in the uffizi area, any suggestions?